Queensland’s economic recovery plan wins Federal support

Major road and transport projects being delivered by the Palaszczuk Government are set to be boosted by federal funding.

Projects underway from Coolangatta to Cape York, including the Second M1 on the northern Gold Coast, Riverway Drive Stage 2 in Townsville and the duplication of the Centenary Bridge at Jindalee are expected to win funding in tomorrow’s Federal Budget.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk welcomed the support for Queensland projects her government had championed in the state’s economic recovery plan.

“My government gets deals done with Canberra,” the Premier said.

“We have a real infrastructure plan with funding locked in that delivers jobs and strong economic outcomes for Queenslanders.

“We’ve successfully worked with the Federal Government to lock in more than $4.8 billion in new and accelerated joint funding for Queensland since last November.

“Work hasn’t stopped in Queensland because of our strong response to managing the health crisis.

“That means we are already delivering Queensland’s plan for economic recovery.

“Thousands of workers have jobs because we’ve created a strong pipeline of projects that are shovel ready.”

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the Palaszczuk Government had a proven record of delivering job boosting infrastructure projects.

“Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s leadership has delivered record funding on the M1 after not a single new dollar was spent on it by the LNP under Campbell Newman,” Minister Bailey said.

“Our government preserved the road corridor, did the planning and locked in the funding for the Second M1 after it was cut from planning documents and ignored by the LNP.

“We delivered the first Riverway Drive upgrade in Townsville and now we have $95 million in joint funding locked in for stage two.

“The Mount Lindesay Highway is being upgraded thanks to $180 million committed by the Palaszczuk Government, in addition to the Federal funding we’ve successfully fought for.

“The Palaszczuk Labor Government delivers on its promises and builds to create jobs.

“We don’t break promises and then cut services and sack workers like the LNP.

“Deb Frecklington and the LNP cut $1.6 billion from Queensland’s roads and transport budget and sacked over 700 RoadTek roadbuilders last time they were in power.

“Now, barely a week after announcing it, Deb Frecklington’s ‘big and bold’ Bruce Highway plan looks likely to be exposed as a four-lane fraud.

“Deb Frecklington has talked a big game on the Bruce Highway, claiming the LNP’s policy is ‘fully funded and fully costed’ but we’ll have to wait and see if there’s any truth to that in the detail of tomorrow’s Federal budget.”

ENDS

Media contact: Toby Walker – 0439 347 875

Queensland projects expected to receive Federal funding include:

• Beams Road Open Level Crossing - $50 million (Total cost: $248 million)
• Bruce Highway Upgrade Strategy - $20 million        
• Centenary Bridge Upgrade - $112 million (Total cost $224 million)
• Coomera Connector Stage 1 (Coomera to Nerang) $750 million (Total cost $1.5 billion)
• Currumbin Creek Road-Bienvenue Drive Intersection Upgrade - $2 million (Total cost $4 million)
• M1 Pacific Motorway Upgrade Program - Exit 45 - $10 million (Total cost $20 million)
• Mt Lindesay Highway - Johanna Street to South Street - $42.4 million (Total cost $53 million)
• Riverway Drive Stage 2 (Allambie Lane - Dunlop Street) - $76 million (Total cost $95 million)
• Cooktown to Weipa Corridor Upgrade - Cape York Community Access Roads - $38 million (Total cost - $47.5 million)
• Cairns to Northern Territory Border Upgrade - Gulf Developmental Road - $17.2 million (Total cost $21.5 million)
• Townsville to Roma Corridor Upgrade - Dawson Highway (Banana - Rolleston) - Roundstone Creek Bridge Overflow Upgrade - $4.8 million (Total cost $6 million).